Finding passion with an encrouching graduation

Story by Jenna Black, Managing Editor

Passion is something that we’re all “supposed” to have. But what if you don’t know what yours is? Sure, I have things that I enjoy doing. But I can never identify my passion.

Maybe I’m scared of the word itself or maybe I’m just a lifeless, unpassionate gal. Maybe it’s not that extreme, but regardless—not having a set thing that I’m passionate about gives me a lot of anxiety and makes me feel behind when people ask what I’m passionate about because everyone (and their dog) already knows what their purpose, passion and goals are in life.

Passion and your career choice go hand in hand. At least that’s what “they” say. I struggle with that question as I’ve just begun my senior year of college and am still unsure of where I’ll be this time next year. When on the other hand, here’s one of my classmates that’s known that they’ve wanted to be a “cowboy-neurosurgeon-reptile trainer” since they popped out of the womb. Then here’s me, a 21-year-old aimlessly wandering a college campus wondering what I’m going to have for dinner.

You should be majoring in or planning on working in a field that you are passionate about, right? My goal is to be like those people that are so enthralled in their careers that they don’t even realize they’re at work sometimes. How does someone get some luck to connect his or her passion and career in one place? Parts of me love the uncertainty of it all, and other parts of me want to slap me in my face and tell myself to figure my life out.

I’ve taken all the personality type quizzes and career choice quizzes (a couple of my favorites are clarityonfire.com and 16personalities.com) with hopes of finding a direction I should pursue. I seem to always get a different answer every time or something that I’m uninterested in. Then I fall into a deeper hole of self-pity and doubt and we’re back to where we started.

Though I still have a nervous energy around the whole topic of passion and post-graduation plans, I’ve learned to trust myself and know that I will figure it out.

I think that is something a lot of college students struggle with, not just myself.

The main thing I’ve learned is that it is okay to not be 100 percent sure about your passion and what your goals are in life. Because after all, that is the reason you came to college in the first place—to learn more about yourself and the world around you.

So I’m here to comfort you if you’ve found yourself in a similar situation as myself. Passion isn’t something that just hits you in the face one day; it takes time to develop- some longer than others and that is perfectly okay. If you have something you’re already passionate about – it’s a good day to be you and chase after that! If you are uncertain, explore new things and push yourself out of your comfort zone!

Don’t let the fear of not having a passion keep you from finding your own zeal for life.